Convertible web printing press



Dec. 17, 1935. ,H. M. BARBER CONVERTIBLE was PRINTING PRESS Filed Nov) 28 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet].

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A TTbR/VE Y5 Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE CONVERTIBLE WEB PRINTING PRESS Application November 28, 1934, Serial No. 755,148

6 Claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a convertible web printing press which may, with a minimum amount of change and substitution of parts, be successfully used for either offset or relief printing, in a plurality of colors, upon a traveling web.

My invention comprises a plurality of pairs of change cylinders spaced around a common cylinder, each pair of change cylinders, when used for offset printing, consisting of a design and a transfer cylinder, and when used for relief printing, consisting of a form and an impression cylinder; the common cylinder serving as animpression cylinder when the press is used for offset printing and as a rotary carrier for the web when the press is used for relief printing.

Practical embodiments of my invention are represented in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents a diagrammatic side view,

' showing the press adapted for offset printing;

Fig. 2 represents a similar view, showing the press adapted for relief printing; and

Fig. 3 represents a detail side view of the gearing constituting the drive for the press.

The traveling web is denoted by l and its web supply and rewinding rolls by 2 and 3 respectively; which rolls are herein shown as being both located at the same end of the press, although this arrangement is not essential to the operation of the press.

The printing press frame is denoted by 4 and in it are rotatably mounted a common cylinder 5 and a plurality of pairs of change cylinders arranged around the common cylinder. In the present instance the pairs of cylinders are shown as one-half the size of the common cylinder and with two pairs of cylinders arranged in upper and lower spaced relationship on each side of the common cylinder.

When the press is used for offset printing, each pair of change cylinders comprises a design cylinder 6 and a transfer cylinder 1; the cylinder 5 in this instance serving as a common impression cylinder for all of the transfer cylinders 1.

When the press is used for relief printing, each pair of change cylinders comprises a form cylinder 6* and its impression cylinder 1*; the common cylinder in this instance serving as a rotary carrier for the web on its way to the several pairs of form and impression cylinders, to insure color registry.

Inking mechanisms 8 of any well known or approved construction are provided for the several pairs of change cylinders, the inking m hanisms applying the ink to the design cylinders 6 when offset printing and to the form cylinders 6* when relief printing.

The driving mechanism for the several movable parts of the press is as follows: 5 A cross shaft 9 is adapted to drive the common cylinder 5 in either direction, through a train of gears It, H, i2, IS. The common cylinder gear I3 is adapted to drive each pair of change cylinders through the gears l4, [5. The inking i0 mechanisms are driven from the bevel gear IE on the cross shaft 9 through the bevel gears ll on the longitudinally disposed shafts I8, which shafts have bevel gears 69 meshing with bevel gears 2s on upright shafts 2|, which upright shafts have bevel gears 22 meshing with bevel gears 23 on cross shafts 2'4. These cross shafts 24 carry gears 25 which drive the gears 26, which gears 26, in turn, drive the gears 27 and 28 on the shafts 27* and 28* respectively of the inking mechanisms.

The positively driven web roll, which is used when relief printing, is denoted by 29 and its coacting pressure roller by 33. The web roll 29 is driven from the common cylinder gear I 3 through the gears 3|; 32, 33.

It is intended that the printing press be driven in one direction for offset printing and in the reverse direction for relief printing.

When the press is to be used for offset printing, 30 the pairs of design and transfer cylinders are placed in their proper positions in the press frame. The web i is led from the web supply 2 over suitable direction rollers fi l to the top of the common cylinder 5 and around the same in one direction, the cylinder 5 in this instance acting as a common impression cylinder for the several transfer cylinders l. The printing web is then led away from the top of the common cylinder 5, over direction rollers 35 to the web rewinding 4 roll 3. I

When the press is to be used for relief printing, the pairs of design and transfer cylinders are replaced by the pairs of form and impression cylinders 71*. The web l is led from the web 4 supply 'roll 2 over the direction rollers 34 to the top of the common cylinder 5 and around the same in the reverse direction, the cylinder 5 in this instance acting as a rotary carrier for the web, to steady the same and insure proper color register. The web is then led from the. cylinder 5 between the form and impression cylinders of the several pairs of change cylinders and from thence between the positively driven web roll 29 and its pressure roller 3%. The web is then led 'over the direction rollers to the web rewinding roll 3.

the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not intend to be limited to the particular embodiments herein shown and described, but

What I claim is:

1. In a convertible web printing press for optional offset 'or relief printing, a common cylinder and a plurality of pairs of change cylinders arranged around the common cylinder, the con mon cylinder acting as an impression cylinder when offset printing and as a rotary web carrier when relief printing, and the change cylinders of each pair adapted to serve as design and transfer cylinders when offset printing and as form and impression cylinders when relief printing, and inking mechanisms for said design or form cylinders and means for leading the web around the common cylinder when offset or relief printing and also between the form and impression cylinders when relief printing.

2. Ina convertible web printing press for 012-- tional offset or relief printing, a common cylinder, a plurality of pairs of change cylinders arranged around the common cylinder, the com mon cylinder acting as an impression cylinder when offset printing and as a rotary web carrier when relief printing, the change cylinders of each pair adapted to serve as design and transfer cylinders when offset printing and as form and impression cylinders when relief printing, and means for leading the web around the common cylinder when offset or relief printing and also between the form and impression cylinders when relief printing.

3. In a convertible Web printing press for optional offset or relief printing, a common cylinder acting as an impression cylinder when offset printing and as a rotary web carrier when relief printing a pluraiity of pairs of change cylinders arranged around the common cylinder, the change cylinders of each pair adapted to serve as design and transfer cylinders when offset printing and as form and impression cylinders when relief printing, means for driving the press in one direction for offset printing and in the reverse direction for relief printing without changing the direction of travel of the web to and from the press, and means for leading the web around the common cylinder when offset or relief printing and aiso between the form and impression cylinders when relief printing.

4. In a convertible web printing press for optional offset or relief printing, a common cylinder acting as an impression cylinder when offset printing and as a rotary web carrier when relief printing, a plurality of pairs of change cylinders arranged around the common cylinder, the change cylinders of each pair adapted to serve as design and transfer cylinders when offset-printing and as form and impression cylinders when relief printing, a positively driven web roll, and means for leading the web around the common cylinder when offset or relief printing, and also between the form and impression cylinders and over the positively driven web roll whenrelief printing. i

5. In a convertible web printing press for optional offset or relief printing, a common cylinder, a plurality of pairs of change cylinders .arranged around the common cylinder, means for leading the web to and around the common cylinder in one direction for offset printing and to and around the common cylinder in the reverse direction for relief printing and also between the change cylinders of each pair for relief printing, and means for driving the press in one direction for offset printing and in the reverse direction for relief printing.

6. In a convertible web printing press for optional offset or relief printing, a common cylinder acting as an impression cylinder when offset printing and as a rotary web carrier when relief printing, a plurality of pairs of change cylinders arranged around the common cylinder, the change serve as design and transfer cylinders when offset printing and as form and impression cylinders when relief printing, means for leading the web to and around the common cylinder in one direction when offset printing and to and around the common cylinder in the opposite direction when ofiset printing, and also between the form and impression cylinders of each pair when relief printing, and means for driving the press in one direction for offset printing and in the reverse direction for relief printing.

HOWARD M. BARBER.

cylinders of each pair adapted to. 

